The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1887-04-14
pieN,F,Eo NAMES.
Fashion That Promises to Become Pop
ular With Sensible Parents

/
uiar With Sensible Parents
1t is notable fact that the fashion in
the names of women has very decidedly
changed of late. Instead of long favoritt
diminutives of Mamie and Minnie, and
Birdie, and Carrie. and Lily, and LULU
and such other common pet names, il
is now the style to bestow upon little
girls the stately and dignified names Of
Elizabeth, Catherine. Barbara, Dorothy,
! Eleanor and others which have long
been out of favor as old-fashioned.
Moreover, these are given their full
length and sound. No such abbrevia-
tions as Katie. and Lizzie. and Mollie,
and Dollie, and Maggie are allowed to
be good form.
Three pretty little baby girls, we
know of. will grow up with the plain
name of Margery in all its rotund full
ness-no Madge, Maggie or Margie
being so much as permitted. Two other
little blond-haired damsels are named
respectively Dorothy and Elizabeth. in
all their length and breadth-all nick
naming or shortening being utterly
forbidden by their mother Another
little tot is dubbed Marguerite, and woe
be to them who attempt to use any such
abbreviation as Maggie or Daisy or
Rita. Mrs. Whitney has expressed her
preference for Dorothy" as the name
of the Cabinet baby, instead of Frances
Folsom, as announced.
The wife of the President objects to
being called by her baby name of Frank
or frankie, and writes her name in full
Frances Folsom Cleveland. The
fashion thus set has been generally
adopted. And it is not only sensible
and dignified, but useful and appro-
pirate, to incorporate woman maiden
name with her married name, since it
maintains her identity and keeps her in
recognition by those who knew her best
under her old name. Miss Maud Howe,
the writer, who was married recently,
will still be recognized as Maud Howe
Elliott-Ella Wheeler was not obscured
when she became Ella Wilcox-Eleanor
Stuart is not lost to memory when her
name appears Us Eleanor Stuart Hamil-
ton. And even if it were not more use
full to thus mark ones identity, women
who have family pride in their names,
whether for ancient renown or because
famous or historic, are 10th to sink
them into utter obscurity. The Princess
Louise did not lose her personality in
the title of the Marchioness of Lorne.
Our first lady followed her example
when she signified her desire to be
known as Frances Folsom Cleveland.
And the custom grows more and more
common.
The same reaction from diminutive
pet names is extended to the names of
boys. 1t is now considered common to
call boy Willie, or Johnnie, or George,
or Robbie. Good form demands the full
name, and that nicknames shall be
tabooed.
This change of taste and style as re-
CARDS names is certainly for the better.
"Jim," and "Tom," and Bob" and
''Sam," and such, are destructive of
dignity and outside of the home-circle
and intimate friends are suggestive of
the familiarity that breeds contempt.
Think of George Washington, and
Billy Gladstone, and Sonnie Bismarck,
and Harry Beecher, and Johnnie Sher-
man. But in the passion for the return
to the dignity of old-style names, it is
to be hoped those of the Puritan period
may not be included, when Experiences
Mehitable, and Good Faith Jerusha,
and Charity Temperance, and Praise
God Barebones, and Have Faith Wig
gins, and Jeremiah Zerubbabel, and
Always-tO-be-Praised Potts, were of fire.
quent Pittsburgh Dispatch.